


It is not you who gets me like this, it's the cultural festival that brings back my worst nightmares as the current captain of the swim team. (or "Not traditionally")

by kizaten



Category: Free!
Genre: Character up my sleeve, Fall out boy lyrics references, Funny, Haru & the dress, M/M, Music, Rin vs maid dress, Samezuka related, another OC appears oupsies!, cultural festival, no ships yet, things change
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-25
Updated: 2015-06-24
Packaged: 2018-03-19 12:55:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 17,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3610848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kizaten/pseuds/kizaten
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rin had had enough of being pressed by that stupid tradition of what Samezuka's swim team has to do for the Festival, so he will do anything, ANYTHING, to change it.</p><p>Something to connect with that Music AUs were everything is so nice but without taking swimming away from Rin. Lets see if he can handle with both.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The long title and also some details on the notes would anticipate you what this is all about. Wanted to write something related to one of my favorite bands, hope you catch the references when they appear.  
> Not sure if going to get into ships yet, but maybe as the story goes I'll do...

It all started with the usual practice schedule, but it detonated after the usual jog. The pool surroundings were all noisy as always, the team was making laps inside the pool and some other members were running outside, it was the season in which all of them should be grateful of having a roofed pool with all the services for their use. 

Although the fresh air, the cloudy sky and the practice's smoothness was refreshing and all sweet like a dream, there was something bugging certain red haired swimmer's head for a while. From the very beginning of the year, to be honest. Rin was aware of how much extra work he had to do from the moment he was named the new Samezuka's swim team captain, but he had forgot one of the hardest and most terrible parts of this. 

He sighed, rolling his eyes as he had some sort of internal fight with himself, and not paying attention to what he was being asked by his younger team mate. For how long did he spaced out? He wasn't still unsure and it would be easier just to make him repeat his question rather than wondering out loud for something like that. 

"Is there anything I can help you with, senpai?" The gray haired boy asked without him asking to repeat the question being necessary, the younger swimmer was obviously refraining himself from asking anything else, as Rin could tell, judging by the look on his eyes. Nitori was always like that, trying to get to know him better in a way so interested that was suffocating sometimes. 

Rin shook his head as he forced a smile to his face before going back to checking everyone else's marks and timings. The last thing he wanted was to explain what was going on, first he had to clear his mind so he could understand it himself. Luckily for him, Nitori didn't follow him this time, since Rin was the former captain he had a lot of things to do and the gray haired one was more than used to be cut of like that, not saying ignored.

Swimming practices with the team weren't a problem, everyone did whatever they had to, focusing on their own regiments and training to get better marks. and this time wasn't the exception. Rin could notice improvement of a few club members, writing it down for the record of the team as usual. He also could change the times he registered himself last week, with significant difference that made him proud enough to dismiss the team at the end of the practice with one of those registered grins. 

But just as fast as he was left alone to close the pool, the tension came back to climb upon his shoulders. There was something inside his bag, something that was the center of his frustration and to be honest, it was one of his biggest nightmares since the last two years he spent as a student in Samezuka. Rin sighed as he took the paper out before hanging the bag on his shoulder to leave the locker room for once. He cursed under his breath with resignation taste still looking with pain to the title of the sheet he held.

**"Sign for Cultural Festival activities. Project design."**

The student council had almost anticipated what kind of activity the swim team would host, it was some kind of tradition, a tradition Rin hated with all his heart when he found himself victimized by it. He couldn't tell how it happened, but by the time he got to the dorm building, his grin had faded and instead that intense frown of foul mood he had for the hole last year as his mind was filled with the humiliating memories of last year's festival and the infamous curse of the club activity. 

"What's wrong?" A voice asked as fast as he opened the door of his room. Looking up, he could see a pair of turquoise eyes looking at him from the upper bed.

Rin moved his head, denying what was obvious as he left his stuff on the chair in front of his desk and the sheet upon the table along with the room keys. If someone could tell when something wasn't right at all, that had to be Sousuke, even when it was so evident with Rin's facial expressions most of the times. 

"What is it?" Sousuke insisted, and judging by the sound of the bed grinding, he was moving to climb down form where he was just to get Rin to speak whatever his problem was. The red haired sighed as he heavily dropped himself over the mattress of his bed, knowing very well he would be soon drowned with the taller one's concern.

Sousuke slightly pushed him to take a seat, making him to roll over and scoot some space of the bed. 

"The student council president called everyone to start planning the festival" Rin muttered looking up to Sousuke's pupils, the darkness there on the bunk bed contrasted with the bright light of the light bulb only made those eyes to shine. 

"So what?" 

Rin groaned as he rolled away from Sousuke's gaze. He wouldn't understand it, he wasn't there last year. Swim team seemed to be condemned year by year, and Rin was desperately trying to avoid it, the last thing he wanted was to suspend practice one day to measure everyone to be surrounded by laces, crinoline and headbands later. Specially with tournaments ahead.

"The stupid maid cafe!" He complained. "The president gave me that stupid form only to see the stupid cafe project written by my own hand. It's a shitty tradition."

"Maid cafe...?" Sousuke repeated unlocking his eyes from Rin's. "You were... in a maid cafe last year?" 

He didn't say a thing, ashamed looking away and waiting for the theme to fade.

A tick silence invaded the room, drilling Rin's ears until it was interrupted by the sonorous laugh of his best friend.  _Sousuke was laughing_! Rin got up once again, this time he was the one looking down to Sousuke, jaw fallen open and a quick blush was staining his face furiously. Sousuke soon burst the power of his lungs, making his laughter even more scandalous as Rin's frustration grew. Matsuoka kicked him and urged him to shut up, he was almost pouting like a little boy, so embarrassed of letting Sousuke know that kind of thing like this. Worst, of giving him enough words for him to _imagine_ it.

The taller one had to apologize several times, but with that smile on his face and that recurrent giggling his apologies couldn't be taken seriously. Rin was obviously mad with this, and when he decided he had enough he rushed out of the room with anything as excuse just to escape from Sousukes eyesight. At times like this, jogging would make him get on ease again, and so, the captain took his music player and left the room.

"I'll go with you" Sousuke pointed without an invitation, making fun of Rin's grumpy mood.

And so, this was when the usual jog hit him becoming some different kind of  _usual_  jog. Rin was rushing, trying to escape from Sousuke but after noticing how useless it was, he had no option but to stand his company running beside him. Luckily for him, he had the option of raising the volume of his favorite music. Anything just to bury the maid cafe issue, or at least, for not to hear it.

Samezuka's gardens were completely different at night, so silent and peaceful, even the air felt lighter around. The trees moved slowly, the air whispering as it passed through the leaves, making the branches to crack rhythmically with that smooth and elegant tone typical of nature. The only foreign sound was the footsteps of the two students running, staying up later than anyone else along with their hectic breathing.

After a couple of laps, Rin was feeling calmed again. It was an advantage of Sousuke's way to proceed with him, their friendship stood to those kinds of discussions by how quick he could ignore it and reserve it just to dig it up so he could bug Rin. 

The red haired male was following the lyrics of his music, mumbling it and occasionally singing out loud, music was part of his daily routine since he was studying overboard. Back in Australia, he started to listen popular English singers to improve his language skills, and after a year he was very fond of that kind of music making him company while training, studying or whatever that required his concentration. 

But this time, he wasn't that focused. His mind started to run further and faster than him. Soon he stopped, his lips were still reciting the memorized phrases of the song that was playing on his headphones. He was panting, he had been running after all. Then, his face slowly mutated to a smile as he caught the final phrase of the song he was into. 

"That's it!" He muttered as Sousuke got closer to see what happened with him. Rin's smile changed suddenly to complete joy, followed by slight laughing as he started to move with his hand up to his head, he was soon praising his own genius mind and repeating  _that's it_  as he seemed to be very pleased with the idea his mind formed on this nocturne jog.

Sousuke had to grab him from his shoulders to make his turns to stop. 

"I don't have to be trapped on this tradition" Rin said with a splendid light on his eyes, he seemed to be absolutely relieved and so filled with some kind of incredible bliss. "Things can change." He paused looking back to the dorms building near the area. "I need to talk to someone."

He released himself from Sousuke's hands and started to run to the opposite direction, his friend called for him, but Rin didn't seem to listen to him, that or his laugh was loud enough to make him unable to hear Sousuke's voice. The taller one had no option but to run after the swim team captain, not knowing what the hell he had come with.

They got into a different building, not the one in which their dorm was located. Rin, ahead of him, asked a couple of times for a certain someone's room following the directions the under classmates gave through the corridors and stairs, until they reached a closed door. Rin knocked and waited for the owner to show up, luckily, his grin had faded a few floors away and he wasn't that scary now, not saying charming. 

The student that opened the door recognized Rin from his class, and he greeted back before getting inside the room at the slightest sign of invitation from the other, Sousuke also followed him inside. 

"You're the music club president, right?" Rin said with a polite tone  but also a trace of persuasion on his voice and eyes. "I have something to discuss with you."


	2. Chapter 2

Visits weren't allowed on Samezuka's dorm rooms, without exception, Rin, Sousuke and the surprised other one knew that perfectly well to avoid it in any other situation but this time the sudden revelation of Rin's master mind rushed him to the building without that on mind. 

Matsuoka wasn't someone really friendly to the rest of his classmates's eyes, it was like if he wouldn't talk to anyone who wasn't related to the swim club, he was the fierce captain of the famous and renamed team, and that the first reason why other rarely tried to cross words with him if wasn't absolutely necessary. It wasn't that he was scary or particularly mean to them, he seemed to be so serious about other issues that they silently acceded to let him be and do as he wanted, if the chance to speak showed up, then it was welcomed, if there wasn't such chance, then nothing happened either.

And so, it was a surprise for this guy to receive Matsuoka's visit that late at night. Itoshiki Kamijo was the current president of the music club, as Rin guessed right, he was one of his classmates and one of the few ones to get further than just greeting him every morning, but not enough to be listed on the friends list of each other. Rin's seat was a line away from Kamijo's, they had similar likes and they even lent their CDs to each other for a while. And as far as Itoshiki could tell, that seemed to be the reason why Rin was there: music.

Inside Itoshiki's room, Rin got a seat even after saying he would be quick, grabbing the desk's chair as the room owner sat on the other looking to his classmate. Sousuke was not the only one wrapped in complete confusion with the situation. His teal eyes jumped from Rin's excited face to the other's stunned look without being able to catch up what was going on. To be honest, the short conversation they had wasn't really going to anywhere at all, Itoshiki seemed urged to get them out, and Rin was so lost inside his flash discovery to bring it clearly out as words for them to understand.

"It's too late, Matsuoka..." The other muttered getting up from his seat and finally gesturing a more firm good-bye hint than the ones before. "We can talk tomorrow. It's not that urgent, right?" 

Rin got up too and apologized for his intermission. He'd been so bluntly to even drag Sousuke with him to this, but to be honest he didn't asked for him to come too. 

As soon as the door was closed behind them, Rin sighed, turning over his heels to get back to their own dorm. 

"What was that?" Sousuke asked following him. Maybe Rin hadn't had enough time to explain himself to Itoshiki, but he could be sure to have all of Sousuke's time and attention required for it to be cleared. He owed his friend that after the extra lap he made him run after him.

"I had an idea to get rid of the maid cafe thing." Rin said with a more calm  tone, seemed like he had finally slowed down his rush and was about to order  his thoughts for once. "But I'll need Itoshiki's help."

Rin stretched his arms up to the sky and let go of his breath with resignation.

"Anyways, _'I'll check in tomorrow if I don't wake up dead_.'" Rin whispered before chuckling to himself a little. Sousuke wasn't sure of what it meant, but he also hoped for him not to be dead in the morning. 

Rin opened the door of their room and Sousuke quickly climbed to his bed once again, returning to the position he was in before they left the room moved by Rin's irritation towards certain sheet of paper that was still over his desk. He sighed. Rin stood next to his desk, grabbing the paper with less anger than before, determined to delay his attention to it just for one night, or as long as it took to get Itoshiki's help for what he planned. After burying it inside one of his desk's drawer, the red haired moved to turn off the lights and dropped himself in bed again. 

Next morning, Rin woke up first and left earlier the room to have a word with Kamijo just as planned. He found him already in the class room and no one else was there. How lucky, he thought. Itoshiki greeted as usual, and so  he asked about his late-night visitors way back to their own dorms, just to make a conversation for once. Both of them could tell how strange this was.

"Tell me... The music club has anything planned yet?" Rin asked, shaking off the casual chat of before, which really helped to get to the point he wanted and make sure to ring some bells of Itoshiki's interest.

"For the festival? Kind of, but I'm still having some  trouble with it." Kamijou admitted.

"What is it?"

"Space." The music club president pointed after thinking it for a while, and with obvious deception on his tone. "We're planning to offer a concert but, just as every year, we're having problems finding where to do it. This year we have more members and the space school usually lent us won't be enough..."

Rin kept quiet, looking at how troubled Kamijou seemed to be with this. Then, it hit him.

"Use the pool." He suggested, only provoking his classmate to turn to him with absolute astonishment on his face. "Is spacious, y'know? Use it." 

"But... What about the swim team?" He asked, and Rin could see the actual question of what about the cafe? on those eyes. Reminding him of how bad he wanted to avoid it.

"I thought that, maybe if we give you the space, we could sign the project as a joint event" Rin tried to negotiate with a polite tone so fake that made his interlocutor to raise an eyebrow with obvious incredulity.

"But if we accept that, what would you do? Lending the area won't count as participation. And the swim team's cafe is a tradition!" Kamijo laughed.

 _Fuck!_  Rin stood up and groaned really frustrated, that was the only thing he wanted to avoid and right the one to be pointed out by the one who was supposed to help him.

"No maid cafe!" Rin decreed pointing one finger out to Kamijo's face to shut him about the issue. It was a taboo theme for him, not a tradition!

The music club president tried to dissimulate, but his fake stoic face turned slowly to a smile, then a big grin and finally he burst to laugh louder than before right on Rin's face, shuffling himself on his seat on the floor and this close to fell on his back by pure laughter. Rin felt ridiculous, all the pride he could feel as the captain of the famous swim team was substituted by shame and embarrassment at the perspective of running that stupid cafe again. And having the evidence of how the other school members aimed for it was now driving him crazy.

"Don't tell me you—"

"NO." Kamijo interrupted, his face was red because of laughing, and Rin's was also red but of embarrassment. "I went there last year but...no, I'm not really into it, you know... But, being in a all-boys school is hard sometimes. I think, swim team's cafe is some kind of lifesaver, the only chance to see something different, a day to relax."

Rin pouted, howling at Itoshiki's words, ironically, he could start to hate that thing of  _seeing different things_  if it came linked to maid dresses again right away. There was no way in hell he could think as  _relaxing_  that distressing cafe event. Specially remembering the looks he received last year. He would be traumatized for the rest of his life.

He breathed in, trying to calm down, he wouldn't get Kamijo to do what he wanted if he kept fighting like that.

"I need to stop it. It's not just for me, the team guys will be traumatized and scared for the coming years, and I don't want that. I'm doing this for the team."

Rin's eyes could be really persuasive when he wanted to, and this time of course he wanted to do it! He needed to get someone on  his side, someone to save the team from that terrifying activity of the festival. And Itoshiki had to be that one.

Placing thing up on the balance, it was good for him to take the offer. The swim team was famous, it had a name and of course lots of people would go straight to the event their decided to run during the festival, just because of the previous fame the maid cafe had. And the music club needed that attendance to their event. It was the only chance they had to get some support from their own schoolmates. Rin was right, the place was spacious. 

Itoshiki sighed. Rin grinned smoothly, it seemed like he'd done it.

"Ok. We'll take the pool's area and do the sign as joint activity..." Rin celebrated his victory with not enough discretion, he was about to shake Itoshiki's hand in relief and excitement when he was interrupted by a terminate "But!" because everything comes always with 'buts'. "You'll have to co-operate with us. This is jointed after all, right, Matsuoka?"

"Sure, we'll help you with whatever you need." Rin offered politely with joy on his eyes. But no, he wasn't crying. Yet.

Kamijo laughed breathy and with a dark look on his eyes. Suddenly, Rin felt like if he just made a deal with the devil.

"You're not getting it. I didn't meant 'you' as the hole team, but as you, yourself, Rin Matsuoka."

"Hu?" Rin's eyebrows did the thing they always did whenever he was confused, mad or in any situation that made him doubt.

"You're famous, Matsuoka, not only on the swim team or in our class. You're considered pretty good looking and lots of students look up to you with not just admiration on their eyes. Specially after last year's events, the festival and the swim team races, you know?"

Rin could feel chills down his spine. Something on Itoshiki's words didn't like him, it was getting him nervous and, yes, scared.

"It could be good for the event to have you. We need to reunite founds for two clubs after all."

_Something wasn't good at all._

"What do you mean?" Rin finally asked. 

It was now the time for the other students to show up, and both of them could tell it by the growing noise on the closest hallways, people was coming.

"That you'll be on stage too." Itoshiki grinned as he was dragged inside the classroom by the flow of his and Rin's classmates. 

Rin was also pushed inside, completely shocked and it was just after the first period ended that he realized what happened. He has got the rope around his neck when he tried to ask for help


	3. Thnks fr th mmrs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Made a little experiment here. Since this has to do a lot with music, I wanted to merge directly what I was thinking into when I wrote this so, once you see the "play" link, do it and let's see how it goes. Yes, it is thnks fr th mmrs

The captain had something on his head, everyone could tell. Rin seemed to be spaced out and only reacted when he was called out loud by someone, his eyes were certainly fixed at some point of the pool, but no comment came out of his mouth not even once. He was silently registering the member’s times down his note, to be honest that could be considered as a well done job but something was odd.

“When do you start?” Sousuke asked as he approached, moving in circles his shoulder as his eyes were also looking to the pool in order to keep the discretion of his words.

“Today. After practice.”

Sousuke looked down to Rin again. The other stood up and stretched himself, putting aside the note and pencil as he headed to the pool. 

Once the captain joined the practice, training seemed to recover it’s usual life, going fast and deadly as the famous Samezuka’s team was supposed to be trained. Everyone should work harder, tournaments were ahead and this was the last chance for those who wanted to get professional on this and were third years now, thing that described Rin’s situation perfectly. Excepting the fact that now he had another thing tied to him. 

Even with this new possible stressing burden over him, Rin managed to broke his actual record more than three times, changing his own time mark for the tournament registration and keeping up the image as the captain of the team. With this new achievement, everyone in the team seemed to be filled with brand new motivation and a couple of members changed their marks too. This was one of several reasons for him to be proud of his team. And to accept that he’d made the best choice.

“When will you tell  them?” Sousuke asked as fast as the practice was over and everyone was getting ready to go, including Rin, since he had to go through the campus to met up with the music club. 

“Tell them what?”

“That you’re trying to save their asses.” 

“There’s no need for that!” Rin replied and made Sousuke to roll his eyes. What kind of question was that? It was obvious he didn’t need to discuss  _this_  with the team, no one with enough sanity would like to be dressed up as a french maid.

The captain stood up and carried his bag over his shoulder, looking at the watch on his wrist. It was already time.

“Hey, can you lock? I have to go.” Rin asked giving the keys to the taller teal eyed swimmer, hurrying to the doorway. “I’ll be at the music club if you need me. Don’t need me!”

It was unusual for the captain to leave first after practice, and everyone could notice it. The hole swim team, specially the noisiest one of Sousuke’s underclass mates kept asking questions he had to avoid somehow, the only thing they managed to get from his mouth was that Rin had to do something related to the Festival. His answer made everyone there nervous. Then, he could tell Rin was right, the maid cafe thing was really traumatizing them.

Rin had to run, or at least to walk faster than he first thought. It was hard to tell what got him more excited on his way to the music club. Was it because of the adrenaline the thoughts of singing gave him? Or was it leaving his comfort zone? What if Itoshiki wanted to pull a prank on him? No, it was not the time to be thinking on that. The music club president wanted this just as much as he wanted to get rid of that stupid  _maid cafe of hell_  tradition.

The captain stood in front of the door again, but this time he knocked instead of just sneaking  in like the first time. The door was opened  without interrupting  the club m embers practice and Rin got in with the usual politeness the situation required. Itoshiki didn’t say a thing about last time’s discussion, Matsuoka’s presence there was enough proof of his will of getting the plan going.He leaded the red haired male to where the musicians were playing  and let him be there with them. 

Rin was  stunned, not  because of the little show they were throwing right before his eyes, the image wasn't that amazing, but by how good they sounded. He was impressed by how good this club was, even when they didn't had all the support the sports club had, they had quite a lot of talent. How was it that no one looked to this side of  the school’s activities?

“Good work today.” Itoshiki’s voice made Rin to come back from where he spaced out. It was such a shame the music was over now. “Before you go, I’d like to introduce someone to you.”

Rin took a deep breath as the club president drove the attention to him   and asked for him to take a step forward. His feet stood over the rug fabric, missing the tiles of the swim club’s pool.

“I’m  Rin Matsuoka, pleased to meet you.” He introduced himself vowing as usual, skipping the part of ‘girly name’ explanation that was almost a  custom before. 

“He’s the swim team captain and my classmate. Matsuoka will be around here so much starting from today on, so please, be gentle and try to get along.”

The music club members greeted him and kept going with their issues and fixing their stuff. Rin could hear them muttering but gave no importance at all since they were already about to leave.

“Don’t worry, we’ll just test today, ok?”

“I’m not worried.” The captain replied, and no, he wasn't on the defensive. 

Itoshiki begun to move away the chairs, clearing the room to get some space, it wasn’t that wide, but without all the chairs it was much more spacious. Rin helped taking the chairs somewhere else, piling them together on the corner, and turned again to see how the room looked clean. He found the other one fixing a microphone stand right in the middle of the area they just cleared. Hell, that was quick.

His h and went directly to the back of his neck instinctively, fixing his eyes on the stand that obviously required him. Rin walked to it and tipped his fingers up the microphone as laughter itched on his throat before silly coming out loud.

“Just like that?  Right now? Seriously?” Rin asked, getting each time a graceful nod as a reply from the boy who was sit on the only chair left right in front of the stand. 

Itoshiki stood up for a second, got out of his pocket a little remote control and sat again.

“Last time you came, we were playing a song I’m sure you know pretty well. I’ll play it,” he added playing pointing the control, “and you sing. That’s it.”

“Good.” Rin nodded too, his hands moved to play with the mic and the wire, instead of messing with his hair again.  

That sounded easy. Itoshiki counted down with his fingers pointing up. Three, two, one, and  he hit the [play](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQ6isKds2sE) button.

Once more, the intro got him, strings and metal climbing through his spine refreshing the lyrics on his head and making words flow to his throat. He felt lucky the song wasn’t that rough with him, the start was calm it was easy to _let the good times roll..._

Itoshiki seemed to be pretty pleased with himself, like if convincing him was one of his best decisions ever, his decision, even after it had been Rin the first to ask for both of their clubs to do something together. And that wasn’t all, he was smiling.

_“Who does he think he is?”_

Rin grinned as he kept going on, it would be a lie to say he wasn’t enjoying this.

_One night and one more time_   
_Thanks for the memories_   
_Even though they weren't so great..._

The red head’s voice was constant and, just as Itoshiki said, not that bad. Bless swimmer’s lungs! He was able to go with it, pretty well to be a beginner, he could pull in enough air to breath and sing with such control that he was amazed by how useful his stamina was right then.

Although it was a bit difficult to catch the last chorus line’s length, Rin felt more confident with what he was doing, specially with the reaction he got from Itoshiki. He had a satisfaction smile and his eyes were open as plates, nodding in approval at what he just heard.

At this point Rin, was also stumping his feet with the rhythm, it was just as enjoyable as singing with no audience, maybe even better. He could notice how this was also getting into the music club president’s head, he was moving his head with the sound of his classmate’s voice singing a song he liked too. 

It took more than Rin had expected, but a second voice joined him, shyly muttering the lyrics before summoning himself widely when the song hit the second chorus.

Rin’s hands gripped tightly the microphone, his pulse was rising even when he knew they were alone, locked inside the room used specially for this club to practice, which probably meant no one outside would be upset by the noise or the volume of his voice.

He was no longer nervous, singing was almost as good as swimming and he could tell it would be so much better to spend the Festival day doing this instead of greeting costumers with his under classmates wearing laces  and ribbons with french maid outfits. He rather feel the kind of look Itoshiki had fixed on him than the ones visitors gave to him last year at the cafe.

Music slowed down, leaving the sweet acoustic guitar to make company to Rin’s voice. He felt so on ease that he even started to play with the microphone stand, actually to somehow dance with it.

_Get me out of my mind and get you out of those clothes  
I'm a liner away from getting you into the mood, whoa..._

At the end, they were certainly having fun. Just as pleasant as singing by himself with his headphones on, but louder, with a mic and not caring to disturb someone. This time he was being heard carefully, with the only intention to listen to his voice in particular, they didn’t even had the original vocals on the track he was singing with. Who cared if the song went on just repeating the chorus again and again, it was amazing and easy going now that he felt completely into the song’s pace.

Knowing the song was so close to the ending was motivating. It wasn't that he was tired, ashamed or wanted really to stop, but the rush of excitement that run beneath his skin wanted to go to the very end of this. It felt just like in racing, similar to the lapse after the turning kick, it was the decisive one and what always got adrenaline to fuel him up. 

Rin could grow even more fond to singing with this, and for sure he would write down karaoke as something he would like to try someday, it could be for sure like the experience he was having right then. But going there after singing for the Festival visitors he could be certain the feeling would be nothing compared to it. 

The song was over, Rin’s breath was also hard to find. He was panting, tired of one full song with all his might, but evidently he had enjoyed himself doing it. The music club president was clapping his hands, cheering him up before going with his actual verdict, as Rin could tell. The only thing the swim team captain could do was to smile and bent politely as Itoshiki stood up to get closer.

After asking for his bottle to be handed to him, Rin wiped the sweat drops from his hands and face, seemed like nervousness caught him at least on that.

“Come, sit down.” Kamijou suggested pointing the chair as he leaded Rin there. “That was...”

Rin looked up to him, curious of what took him so long to say something. The music club president laughed, now it seemed like he was the nervous one. 

“What! Say it already!” Rin urged him, he was getting impatient. Itoshiki swallowed his laughter and stayed still for a moment, almost paralyzed.  _Oh, please!_  Rin wasn’t that intimidating, right? 

“Well,” he begun clearing his throat, “just as I thought, your voice is good. But yet we had a lot to do to get it perfect for a live performance. Tune you up.”

“Got it.” Rin nodded as he took another swig of his bottle. His breathing was now back to normal.

And so, the awkward silence showed up. 

“How about starting now? Since I’m already here...”

“Point for you.” 

Itoshiki stood up and walked to a door, which  was blocked by some of  the chairs they moved away before. Although Rin stood up to help, the other one told him not to bother, he had it under control. After cursing and kicking the chairs, he managed to open the door, taking out a large box and this time he did asked for some help. 

The fixed a couple of chairs to rest the box so he could clean up the table the club room had. Once it was done, Itoshiki took out of  the box a keyboard which placed over the table to connect it.

After filling Rin’s head with music theory he wouldn’t remember right then, they started to measure how high his voice could go, and also how low. After writing down one or two things, they moved back to the stand and the song played again and again, this time Itoshiki was also supervising Rin’s progress. And now, he could be thinking two times that thing about singing being funny.

Itoshiki was strict, demanding, ruthless even, just like himself whenever he was on captain mood. Was it that every club leader at Samezuka had to be that rough? 

Rin had to sit down for a bit, he was tired before because of swim practice and now, standing in front of that stand got him exhausted. He drank all the water he had and yet felt thirsty, his throat felt strange and sore, very similar to a cold. Suddenly, someone knocked at the door.

“Ah, Yamazaki!” Itoshiki announced as he opened the door.

“Sousuke?” Rin stood up and moved to the door way too. 

“Thought you’d be done by now, it’s getting dark and you should be at the dorms. Both of  you.” Sousuke pointed as Rin and Itoshiki exchanged looks. He was right,  it was getting late.

Rin nodded and hurried to pick up his  stuff, the bottle and bag so he could leave. He said good bye to the music club president and moved away hurried by Sousuke’s mere gaze, he seemed to be impatient.

“I didn’t think it would take that long.” Rin explained grinning, pretending not to be that tired. Rin explained everything he had to do , and how different Itoshiki was from what he first thought of him. Sousuke kept quiet listening and laughing once in a while at what Rin said. 

But something hit Rin’s mind, making him look  up to his taller friend.

“How did you find the music club?” Both of them knew the actual question was different, something like:  _how didn’t you get lost in the process?_

“At first, I asked to someone who carried a violin with him, and yes, I got a _little bit_  lost. Then I heard your voice and followed it, you’re too loud.”

“It was the microphone.” Rin rubbed the back of his neck.

They got to their own dorm just before everything was completely dark outside. No one was around the corridors but they shouldn’t be already sleep either, it was late to be visiting  other clubs, but early to sleep. 

“This seems to be a good idea.” Sousuke pointed from the top bunk bed. “But I have no comparison point. I couldn’t see you on that dress.”

“Shut up!” Rin yelled and tossed one of his shoes directly to his friend’s head. His face was getting red and he was frustrated by the only mention of that issue, that stupid dress! He would be regretting telling that to Sousuke for the rest of his days. 


	4. Coffee's for closers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Repeating the little experiment and hoping it works like before.

“Again.” Itoshiki stopped his fingers on the keyboard.

Rin sighed, it was now the third time he had done that since he started to practice with an actual song and not  only tuning the swimmer’s voice with the notes.

“Twenty minutes to go.” Sousuke pointed, using the pause of their practice to speak.

After the first time Sousuke caught Rin when the meeting at the music club was over, he started to  show up there the next two days. The third one, he got officially invited to join them. He was also the only one aware of the time and he became Rin’s alarm to leave the room and go to swim.

Itoshiki nodded as he restarted the melody so the red haired could follow him.

“No. You have to go lower, why do you go higher?” 

Itoshiki stopped the melody to repeat again and again the note he was requesting, driving Rin quickly out of his mind.

“I get it, ok!” Rin spout as he moved away the other’s finger from that particular key. ”Play it again.”

“No.”

“What?”

“No. Tune yourself, Matsuoka.” Itoshiki scolded him. “This, just give me this note and we’ll go on.”

Rin frowned but yet he did. Breathing in to calm down and trying to throw frustration away and focus on music. After a couple of minutes, the song replayed again.

As the music flown and it was about to reach the note that  was freaking them, the room started to fill with tension just by the expectation. Sousuke knew that if his friend failed again he would for sure  stand up and kick the keyboard away before  furiously leaving the room and that would be...not good.

But nothing happened, at least  nothing wrong. Itoshiki smiled, pleased with Rin’s progress and kept playing. Rin didn’t change his expression of focus. Only when the  song was over, Kamijou stood up to congratulate his classmate, Rin smiled and asked to do it again.

“I want to make sure it wasn’t just luck.”

Sousuke laughed at  Kamijou’s confusion, he knew pretty well how obsessive Rin could be whenever he was working on something. Rin was a hard worker,  he would never do something without aiming to master it.

They repeated it another three  times, Rin failed one but got two well enough to  keep going, it was the one playing the keyboard who wanted a break.

“T wo minutes to go.” Sousuke announced and stood up to stretch a little.

“Just one more.” Rin asked, pulling the president back to his seat in behind  the keys.

“It’s enough for now, Matsuoka. My club mates will come soon and your too. I don’t want to delay you.

Kamijou loose Rin’s grip and moved away from his chair to  get some water.

 “We’ll have more time after our club’s activities. You have it now, just don’t lose it.” 

Rin stood  up without really wanting to leave, he still had a minute he could use to practice, but Sousuke was pressing him as he moved to the door. They left with an invitation to come back after two hours.

Even with all the effort he made at Itoshiki’s club, swimming was worthy of all his attention, he wouldn’t be satisfied without achieving something at it too, and after getting better his mark twice, he felt complete and on ease. It  was enough for that day.

He felt just a bit tired, his arms seemed to be just a little heavier than always , but yet he was up to go and met up with Kamijou again.

Sousuke and Rin walked taking their time.

“No rush .” The captain said with a smile after closing the pool’s door, and so they did.

It was also a good chance for Yamazaki to finally memorize the route and get a clue of another area of the school.

Rin let go of a light moan once they reached the door, he sounded tired.

“Speaking of the devil.” Itoshiki turned to met the red gaze of Matsuoka when he showed up inside the room.

All the members were still sitting with their instruments close. Both swimmers were surprised, this was the very first time this happened after two weeks practicing there with Kamijou by all himself.

The music club stared at him without the minimum  amount of discretion. He thought that maybe after introducing Sousuke to them they would stop looking, but it didn’t work like that.

Itoshiki moved off from the little stand he was upon, walking to take Rin with him and pointing a chair for Sousuke to sit.

“I was talking to them about you.” The music club president said surprisingly happy.

“What?  Why?” Rin asked.

Itoshiki gave him the microphone stand and told him to  place it at the point where he sang the first time there. Before he could ask anything else, the microphone appeared settled and connected on its place.

“Well, you’re going to work with us, of course I had to tell them.”

Rin kept quiet remembering how Sousuke also suggested to talk to the team about this before.

“We’ve been practicing the same you did.” Itoshiki added inviting him to take his place behind the microphone stand. “We need to test how this will go working together sooner or later. Don’t worry, just do it like you did earlier.”

“You could have tell me you were planning this, I’d practice more.”

“That’s enough.” Kamijou stood upper than the rest of them. He grabbed  the baton and hit the music stand a couple of times to get the attention of the others. “Here we go.”

He counted down, his eyes looking up to the back of the crowd and so they [begun](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ns1t4ITmNnw) after some kind of signal he made with the baton and his eyes.

The drummer hit them so loud that it woke up Rin immediately, it was just as loud as his heart beat when the strings summoned themselves to the music of the room along with the dynamism and strength of the electric guitar.

Rin breathed in, he was chilling, holding on to the stand like the first time, gripped to it. He practiced a lot and now he could control decently his voice and be firm without losing his words, yet he was nervous.

With a look of the president’s eyes, the musicians lowered their volume and  his voice broke through the room bringing all the attention to him.

_I can't explain a thing  
I want everything _

He did was a bit anxious, it was his first time singing with actual musicians playing with him. Even with this, he could follow the lyrics rhythm perfectly and also go along with the directions Kamijou gave only with facial expressions. This was one of many proofs that Rin was definitely good with team work, the musicians and him moved just as the baton wanted, just as the song required them to.

_And oh baby, when they made me, they broke the mold  
Girls used to follow me around then I got cold _

It seemed so well that it was hard to believe they never joint their work like this before, Rin’s voice seemed to  go with it so well that he was almost one of the music club members.

As fast as they hit the chorus, everyone in the room was taken by the captain’s voice and enchanting attitude. The only one who could completely enjoy this without breaking it was Sousuke, the advantage of not being part of them was to be able of seeing Rin so focused.

He seemed to be enjoying himself so much, almost as radiant as when he was swimming. To his eyes, Rin was capable of making everything brighter with his mere presence, not speaking of what his voice was doing right then. But Sousuke wasn’t an expert speaking of live music.

With all this, it wasn’t perfect. Some of the musicians were getting nervous too, and Rin was about to lose his breath a couple of times. Itoshiki managed to direct every single change, the length and high that Rin’s voice had to keep, the right times for each instrument to join or shut, and that kind of stuff. Maybe the best part of not being right into the battle field was to see all the kind of faces Kamijou was making while putting all together. Better not to talk of how the red eyed male looked being so into it. 

Joint like this, well built and merged to balance the intensity of music with the singer’s voice, it seemed like both clubs could pull a decent show for the visitors that day Rin hated so much. He could start to forget about doing it. 

He liked this, more than he first though he would, to be true. Rin could felt how he gave into the beat, letting his voice go out to fulfill the orchestra’s fantasies. They longed for a singer and, after all, they found one with a name famous enough to pull the club to the lights. Maybe that was one of the reasons why Kamijou acceded to teach Rin to sing without a second thought.

_I will never believe in anything again  
I will never believe in anything again_

Although the huge effort Rin was making, the long hours being scolded by Kamijou over and over again because of his tune, and how fast he had to leave the swim club area to catch the singing lessons, he was still smiling. Hard work gets its reward. Rin was simply spectacular. Moving with the stand, tilting his head, closing his eyes, even the way his fingers moved gripping the stand, the mic or the cable was quite a thing. 

The amazing feeling he had was now starting to get his nerves cold down, and blood to freeze as they got closer and closer to the terrifying note that got them losing all their progress earlier.  _“Just do it like before”_ Rin thought, closing his eyes to focus and try to catch the memory on his mind before bluntly jumping to split his voice out loud. 

The music would shut at some point, and it would be only his voice and the quiet purr of the guitar making him company, there would be no way to get through it without a mistake being noticed. 

 _I will never believe in anything again_  
I will never believe in anything again  
Oh oh though change will come  
Oh change will come

It went right, more than right, his voice made exactly what Kamojou kept asking this past days, and just in a second, magic happened, and change came. And of course this change would stay.

With this, he could felt that he must had to get ride of  those stupid outfits that were inside the last locker on Samezuka’s pool locker room, he could say good-bye for ever to the stockings and uncomfortable looks to the swimmers. That was all he worked so hard for. And no one should judge him by getting moved by this or the way his eyes seemed to water a little. Just a little.

 _Oh oh though change will come_  
Oh change will come  
I will never believe in anything again

And when the rest of the music members joined him, singing together so he could extend his voice without losing the construction of the song he felt like floating. It was almost like if Itoshiki also had a couple of extra hours making his musicians to stay away from their instruments for a while, enough to also make them to go with Matsuoka’s voice. 

 _We will never believe again (I will never believe in anything again)_  
Kick drum beating in my chest again  
We will never believe again (I will never believe in anything again)  
Preach electric to a microphone stand

It took a huge effort not to break down, the music kept thrilling him and the support of Itoshiki’s club mates was also messing with his heartbeats. But he wouldn’t stop, he would go through it and finish it to please everyone there, so their extra work wouldn’t be wasted, the musicians’s and also his own work. It was amazing, no other words. Just amazing.

.

.

.

Everyone seemed to be really grateful to work with the swim team for the Festival event, Rin was also satisfied with music club’s work, better not to speak of how fast he had to leave the room so no one of them would get to see  what the music caused on him and his eyes. Even with all this, Rin was still up to go back and greet them as it was custom, wishing to work and do their best together for the festival’s sake. 

Sousuke was still shocked, even if he wouldn’t admit. After the swimmers left the music club, he didn’t say a word, he didn’t even looked at Rin on their walk. Or when they get to their dorm. At the only point he could bring  himself back to the real world, was when Rin turned the light off without asking, since it seemed like he wouldn’t answer.

“You’re doing it very well, Rin.” He whispered from up his bed surrounded by comfortable darkness before going to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are welcomed, very welcomed!! So go a head if you feel like.  
> Also, listen to the song (coffe's for closers by Fall Out Boy), even if you don't do it along with the chapter just do it, it's amazing!!


	5. Where did the party go?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tags changed. Lyirics on text are not mine, they're just a little modified to fit in the situations they show up but not too much. Have fun!

Early mornings were exactly the same as the one before, or the one to come. Rin would wake up, put away his pillow, stretch and get ready. He yawned a couple of times as he rubbed his eyes waking up. Placing both feet on the cold floor and sighing before finally standing up, Rin couldn't help but feel tired before even leaving the dorm.

He already had 3 straight weeks with the music club, all of them, working to change the traditional  event. And also, he had to keep up his record for the upcoming tournaments, he had to push himself harder and was still hoping  to  keep extending his resistance so he wouldn't reach his limit.

The captain left  his bed and walked a couple of footsteps away when he suddenly felt incredibly shocked.

“You've got to be kidding me!” He yelled furiously, making his roommate to show his face from up the bunk.  


Sousuke looked down and had to make a huge effort not to laugh. Rin was absolutely frustrated, his face was red with just anger and he was staring at the closed door.

“What is this doing here!?” Rin pointed hysterically to the thing that was for sure out of his usual routine.  


Hangin on the little nail behind the door, there it was Rin’s worst nightmare. The black and white dress, its black skirt with the white crinoline sticking out from under the white flounce filled hem, the apron and the horrible corsé of  black luster fabric. He  felt he was about to faint, the last thing he wanted  was to see that stupid dress in  front of his eyes  again, or worst,  that Sousuke of all people saw it! Deadly and giant red bow tie, even the bracelets were pinned to the skirt, and so the diadem hung around the clothes hanger’s head.  


The complete freaking-maid outfit was there.

“Why!? How!?” Rin was losing his mind. Sousuke had to go down from his bed to try and calm down his friend.   


“Take  this as motivation.“ Sousuke suggested holding Rin from  his shoulders,  preventing him from falling down victim of his panic attack.  


“Sousuke!”  


“You can see it each day and do your  best to stop the maid cafe from becoming reality.”  


“That’s not the point!” Rin pushed him  away, he moved his hands to his head and  started to walk on circles, desperate.  


“Where...where...” He mumbled out of him mind, he wasn't even capable of looking straight to where the dress was. “Where did you got it!?”  


“In the locker room.” Souske cleared, stopping Rin’s comes and goes.  


“It was locked.”  


“Well, you gave me the key so you could leave faster, remember?”  


Rin’s mouth moved but couldn't make a sound, he was still red but it seemed like he would calm down any time. He just needed to breath. The captain walked to the door, still terrified by the image of the dress there and the memories it brought to his head. 

Inside of the dress, pinned to the back of the blouse, he found a little label with his name written on it. Damn Sousuke! He took  his  time to bring his dress and not any other.

“I won’t wear it!” Rin said before picking up his stuff and leave the room to get a bath.  


He spaced out a bit during the first and second periods of class, something seemed to be troubling him, and he knew what it was, he just wouldn't spell it out loud. The word ‘maid’ was taboo from  now on.

Sousuke and Itoshiki crossed some words but Rin didn't gave importance, better not to know since it would be for sure related to the morning scene.

Class was over and he and the teal eyed left to the pool. The captain felt a bit paranoid , he could swear everyone was talking about the M word. At the end, the only thing that could get him on ease was the sensation of water. Once he was inside the pool, the only thing the mattered was his performance  and his timing. Even if he had something on mind, he still had to be the team’s captain. His issues had to stay out of the pool.

When the practice was over he felt incredibly tired, more than he had ever felt before.

“Feeling all right?” Sousuke asked after Rin yawned for the second time right in front of the music club’s door, the only reply he got was a nod.   


Singing with them wasn't easy and sweet either, he pushed himself like  every session before, even with all that tiredness already over his  shoulders.

“I need to  go.” Rin said when he felt he couldn't stand it anymore, “I want to jog before going to sleep, I hadn't done that in a while and I miss it.”

The  excuse sounded better on his head, but he really wanted to leave just ten minutes earlier that day. It was such a shame that Itoshiki could found  an use for Rin’s escape plan.

The music club president joined him.

“Now you’re better with tunes than before, it’s  time to start  to improve  some other  things.”  


The plan was simple,  Rin had to run as usually, wear his headphones like always, but his time he had to sing out loud and keep the lyrics without losing his breath or messing the tune. Impossible, he thought, but yet he had to do it. Anything to avoid wearing a skirt.

They spent 20 minutes on it, the 10 left from the usual  practice time with the music club and another 10 to make the  jog worthy of Rin’s routine. It was a mess the first half of it, but it got better with time. After they were done and Itoshiki was about to die trying to catch up with Rin without a decent stamina, the swim team captain headed straight to the bath room. 

It was losing it’s charm. He started  to wonder as days went by  _where did the party go_ , he was pushing himself and with this new step Itoshiki included on the usual program they had, Rin had to lose 30 minutes of sleep to use that time for homework.

By the time he touched his bed he fell asleep without caring of where his pillow was.

This went on for straight 4 days, and at the 5th day another dress appeared before his eyes, almost giving him a heart attack when he saw it at the music club.  

“Yamazaki suggested to hang it there to keep you motivated.” Itoshiki said without giving to the issue more importance than needed, Rin was overreacting.  


Rin kept  going with this new routine, practicing every song that played on his I-pod’s shuffle list. He woke up early, went to class, to swim, to sing, then to sing and jog, went back to his room to study and finally to sleep; like this each day. He was now exhausted.

The hole week went on like this, but he seemed to be yawning more than usual, he almost fell asleep at class and forgot his towel inside the locker room once. Sousuke was worried.

Rin was still up to get going. In order to replace  the cafe, he would do anything. _I'm here to collect their hearts. It's the only reason that I sing._

“They’re here.” Sousuke said bringing him back to reality. He couldn't remember  spacing out like that.

“What? Who?”   


“The guys from Iwatobi. We had joined practice today, remember?”  


“Oh,  sure...”  


Nagisa was waving from the door to where  the captain was, the rest of them seemed to be focused only on the pool, no need to say who was the most excited of being there. Rin waved back but didn't move from  where he was.

“I want to swim.” Rin told Sousuke standing up and heading to the pool fixing his goggles. “You’re in charge. Make sure nobody drowns.”  


He  walked and dove into the pool catching up with Haru, after both of them returned finishing the lap, the captain asked straight for a race like always. Without saying yes or no, both of  them ended up focused racing one another and no more. Rin felt relieved although he was making his best like he always did when swimming with him, he finally experienced peace after long weeks of hard work, and this was something only water and Haru could do.

His limbs moved instinctively through the water curves, he just had to go and do as he  always did. He felt light, enjoying the flow of the liquid around him, how it welcomed him and let his body feel calm even with the speed. Water was amazing, after all the hard and busy days, he could start to understand Haru’s desire of only wanting to feel the water.

It was so soft and easy he could just stop, having a rest of everything else, making his breath and movements his only duties....

Water and him, and that was it...

So comfortable, so fresh, so simple....

  


* * *

 

  


It was hard to tell what happened. He was floating on the  pool and a second later he was laying on the cold tiles of the pool’s side, observed by a crowd of scared faces and with someone pressing his chest giving CPR. He couldn't speak, he couldn't move, and it was almost hard to claim he was awake, red eyes hardly opening and his breath was just a ghost.

Rin coughed and sat up spitting water out of his lungs. The crowd gasped and a couple of hands grabbed him by the shoulders. The captain looked pale, or at least that was what everyone said, he couldn't tell a thing about his looks but he did felt cold, it was almost like all his blood was unfreezing beneath his skin right then.

“Give them some space!” Someone announced making the crowd to dispel.   


“Stay still.” Haru’s voice advice, his hands still holding Rin’s shoulders.  


“Haru...” The captain whispered once he was able to speak. “What...?”  


Rin was barely getting back together when he realized what happened, immediately turning to face Sousuke.

“I told  you to make sure no one drowned!” He complained, and he sounded rather scared than mad. Sousuke was also uneasy.  


“I never thought this  would happen to you.”  


Rin frowned, he wouldn't thought that either. He felt ridiculous, he had no right to be pestering his roommate like this, if there was someone to be blamed, it that to be himself. He was the only one to push him to much.

He breathed out heavily before standing up.

“You can’t stay.” Yamazaki added.  


“I know.”  


“Go to the nurse’s office.”  


“No, I’m ok, I’m just...tired.” Rin said getting used to breath again, his throat hurt a little and he could still feel the strong scent of chlorine. “I just need some sleep.”  


“Then, give me a sec, I’ll go with you— “

“No. Stay here, you’re in charge remember?”  


“I’ll go with you.” Haru suggested, he seemed tired of being ignored and, of course, he was worried too.  


Rin nodded as he headed to the locker room to get his stuff and change clothes. Not a word was spoken about it, Matsuoka was scared to ask and Haru afraid of telling, but after waiting a little, they had to get things clear. 

They got to the room without scales but a stop to explain Haru’s access to the dorm building, after that, the door was the only obstacle between them and the comfort of his room.

As fast as he opened the room, Rin practically dropped himself on bed, sighing after the contact with the mattress. He didn't say a word, with his eyes closed so peacefully he was about to forget everything and juts sleep but...

“Rin.” Haru’s voice woke him up. “Is this yours?”  


Lazily, Rin rolled over wondering what his guest could be talking a bout it took him a second to realize Haru’s presence was not the only unusual one. Cold sweat drifted through his back as he sat up faster than lightning.  _Hell no_.

“It  _is_  yours.” Haru answered to himself and  Rin was  _this_  close to faint again.  


The freestyle swimmer was standing right in front of the closed door, looking directly to what hung there. His hands aiming to touch the white soft fabric of the apron’s hem and reading the incriminatory label  from  where he was.

He  was out of words, Haru’s hand moved to finally verify if what he read was really  what he read.  Rin couldn't  believe it, the last  thing person he wanted to know  about the infamous  maid outfit was right there, looking at it,  at him, getting the weirdest ideas.

_When he touched it he turned ruby red._

“Why didn't you tell me?”

“Tell you  what?” Rin was hysterically red.

“That you had this.” Haru pointed with his eyes as if it was the most obvious and natural thing to do.  


“As if I could! Just...!” Rin stood up and moved to place himself between Haru and the dress. “Just forget it!”  


“Is it for your girlfriend?”  


“I don’t have one, don’t be stupid”  


“Then it is yours.”  


“Haru!”  


Rin was losing it, he almost could see his hands shaking and how close he was to drop dead killed by embarrassment. Haru, on the other side, looked more calm, at least not as troubled as the captain of the host swim club, but yet there was something different on him, something he usually didn't  do: insistence.

Haru walked to the  door again, passing by Rin, stretching his arm he reached the diadem and unhooked it from the rest of the outfit. 

“I want to see it.” He said not so loud.  


“You’re already doing it, and you shouldn't’!” Rin scolded him.  


“On you.” Haru asked as he crowned Rin with the maid diadem, the giant red ribbon on the side of his head was driving him nuts.  


There  was no way in hell Rin’s face would be back to normal. Haru w as  so close, asking with  pleading blue eyes for him to do the  last  thing he could think on doing just like that!

“That’s...! You’re...!” His mind was crashing, his tongue stumbling and he couldn't even cast a single complain or curse. God! how bad he wanted to curse right now! “Why!?”

“Curious” Haru admitted tilting his head. He looked so innocent, but it was impossible for this request to be taken as an innocent one.   


Rin kept quiet, trying to swallow his frustration, he really wanted his face back to its usual color. He took off the diadem and hung it back  with the dress.

“Is this why you’re losing sleep?” Haru asked as he sat on the bed making it grind.  


“Kind of.” Rin whispered fixing, well messing, his hair again. “No! It’s not because I’m using it!” He cleared before Haru could ask something referent to it again. “Quite the opposite, indeed!”  


Rin sat next to Haru, explaining to him yet leaving some details aside, like the comments or looks he still received after last year’s festival, the point was making clear he would never wear that again. He told him he had to work harder on something different, and also with swimming, it wasn't so hard but he was never satisfied with what he did, and this was making him to push himself harder to reach a decent level, almost perfect.

“I know I expect too much, and not enough all at once.”  


“It’s ok. You can do too much.” Haru pointed making Rin  to look at him once again.  


After Haru’s blue eyes praised him like that, he kept quiet, looking down and finding his socks as the most interesting thing ever. He felt really strange with all this. Haru saying thing like that after asking for him to wear that stupid dress so his eyes could actually see it. Was he serious? This was just to much...

“I never thought I would... well, faint like that.” Rin whispered.  


“That was dangerous.”  


“Yeah.”  


“Are you sleeping well?”  


“What? Are you worried?” Rin teased him grinning.  


“I am.” It was just so hard to keep calm with someone so freaking-direct! “I wouldn't like to see you crawling out of the pool like you did last ye—”

“That won’t happen  again.” Rin interrupted.  


Haru didn't say anything else. He just stood up and looked to the dress once   more, not a single trace of discretion on him and Rin felt his face heating up again.

“Sleep.” The black haired whispered. ”I’ll come to the festival.”  


“Don’t!”  


“I’ll do. I want to know what are you up to.”  


After mocking him like that, Haru left the room, claiming he knew the way out, that there was no need for Rin to go with him and repeating he should sleep. The red eyed had no option but do as he said, he did was tired after all, and he wouldn't risk to fell on the corridor, that would be unnecessary embarrassing.

Rin found incredibly difficult to sleep, it was practically impossible. Haru’s honest desire of seeing him wearing the horrible dress was drilling his memory. He couldn't forget it, his words, voice and the way those blue eyes seemed to be glued to the fabric. It was the insistence on his friend’s action what scared the sleep out of him.

After a hole tortuous hour without being able to sleep or do anything at all, he stood up and shuffled his playlist, hoping music could make him sleep. Rolling over and over again, shifting the covers and wrestling with his pillow, it took him so long but at the end he fell asleep.

He didn't thought on how Itoshiki would react to his absence at the music club that afternoon, he neither considered how  he would have to double his effort tomorrow to make up for the time he’d lost.The only thing that pierced to the depths of his mind was the strong look of Haru’s eyes and his request, and it wouldn't stop rolling on his head from now on.


	6. w.a.m.s.

After the first stage of the year’s tournament passed and the swim club was focused on improving for the regionals, the captain was also working hard. Harder than before. Time was running and the Festival was closer each day, yet his skills weren’t satisfying enough for the music club president. It was trouble.

“Tuning it’s not enough to run a show like the one we’re planning here.” Itoshiki said after their evening jog together. 

They sat on a bench under one of those huge trees that surrounded the pool building to have a final break and drink something. The music was still playing but Rin didn’t wear the headphones anymore. It was the first time their  _project_ was actually addressed as a  _show_ , Rin felt glad this was evolving and getting  shaped, at least his effort was going somewhere. 

“So? What’s left to do?” He asked.

“Hu! Lots of things!” Rin frowned at his  words. “Well, I have to make a list of songs we’ll play and... Since we need to get money, I thought on selling tickets and, in order to sell them, well need advertising... And work with you even more.”

“What  now?” Rin  replied, he was sure he’d already done lots of things and, even when he knew he wasn’t a professional singer and that everything needed improvement, he felt so stressed the last thing he wanted to hear was that he wasn’t doing enough.

“Your image.”

“What’s wrong with  it?”

Itoshiki laughed like it was the most obvious thing to do. It was, somehow offensive. The music club president  seemed to be into some kind of  intern joke Rin couldn’t get, and once he was about to speak, laughter toke him and stopped to each time.

“You can’t be so...innocent about this, right, Matsuoka?”

“Hu?” What  did he missed?  He couldn’t catch what Itoshiki was talking about or why was he laughing  like that.

“Everyone loved the maid cafe, can’t you tell why?” Itoshiki asked, waited just a second, probably thinking on how to proceed and put his idea into words. “The swim team let everyone else enjoy a day with the closest  thing to a fantasy they could have... Let’s just say it simple, the Festival’s night- and it’s a fact, everyone would bring up someone’s image to their dreams... Before sleeping...”

Rin didn’t like how this was going...

“Something to think on so...”

“God no! You can’t be serious!”

Itoshiki laughed again, and the sound of his voice and words kept sending shivers down Rin’s spine on  his way back to his dorm.

He was so spaced out he didn’t even noticed Sousuke was calling him. It took the taller one a couple of attempts to wake him up and get Rin’s attention. He told  Sousuke  what Itoshiki said  before and he couldn’t help  but blush at the ‘m’ word, actually, he seemed really worried and troubled with it. More than before.

“Damn it.” Sousuke cursed under his breath, the serious expression on his face was also making Rin to shudder again. At the end, the teal eyed didn’t say a word  about it and climbed up to his bed.

R in tried  to sleep, he really did, but it was extremely hard to do it. He kept thinking on the music club president’s words and how he couldn’t notice before. All the signals were there: the comments, the looks, the interest everybody showed to the swim club members... Even Haru started to act different after he saw the dress.

It was terrifying...

The next  day, he went to Itoshiki’s like usual, but instead of starting there as  always, Itoshiki took him somewhere else. The little auditorium his club and the theater club couldn’t share The place had only few lights on, the stage had one of those pointing to a  microphone stand.  This felt like the f irst time the music club president asked him to sing, even  though he had his voice’s tune under control, he felt  a little nervous.

“I asked the theater club for help.” Itoshiki said as he invited Rin to walk in.

“So, we’re signing the Festival’s register for 3 clubs?”

“No.” Itoshiki smiled on their way through  the central corridor. “It’s just a little help. Payment for a favor I did for the president.”       

Rin kept  quiet, twisted his lips with incredulity along with his expressive brows.

“Kamijou!” A voice called him excited from  the first  seat rows.  A figure stood up in the darkness and walked to them.

“He’s Moriyama Shunsuke, the theater club president and the one in charge of your image up stage starting today.” Itoshiki introduced him, Moriyama just stood there with a smile on his face and his eyes fixed on Rin.

“Matsuoka Rin. It’s a pleasure.“ He introduced himself politely.

“You look better with the dress.”

Rin’s obvious frustration with the issue made both of the other on es laugh. He started to hate being as ‘famous’ as Itoshiki pointed the first time.

“He’s cute... Don’t be cute on stage, not all the time for god’s sake” He pointed, changing the silly smile for a complete serious look in less than a second.

“Hurry up. Show me what you’ve got.”

Rin stepped on the stage’s wooden floor making it crack a little and breaking the absolute thick silence of the room, he looked to the empty auditorium, only Itoshiki was looking at him. Moriyama was on stage too, beside him and covered by the darkness out of the light circle Rin was into.

Rin waited for the music to begin, but nothing happened. Not a single signal from the music club president. Nothing. Rin walked to the sand and grabbed it with one hand, testing the microphone with the other. It wasn’t  turned on.

“Fill the theater with your.” Moriyama said getting closer. “Stand straight. Powerful.” He stopped next to Rin and changed his posture, straight up himself and rising automatically from everything else. It was amazing and a huge contrast with the previous looks he offered. “Try it.” 

Moriyama helped Rin to stand taller, he seemed to be even more confident than always, it felt strange but incredible. It was like programming his hole body as the world, the center of it. 

_My head is  heaven, my soles are in hell, so let’s meet in the purgatory of my hips and get well._

The theater club president changed his way to walk, stand and move so he could easily claim all the eyes on him, Itoshiki helped to merge all that together with what his voice was also achieving. 

It took a week of constant consults  with Moriyama, and tests with the three of them walking around the school to see how much attention Rin’s mere presence could get. The effect  both  presidents created on the swim team captain’s body language was incredible. Rin was someone who could easily get attention wherever he was around, but after this it would be practically impossible to unstuck the eyes from him. Even so, he kept this new ways only for the private practice and testing, never around someone close to him or the team.

They had a lot to focus on and the last thing Rin wanted was to be the reason why they could start to lose concentration.

* * *

 

“Faster!” Rin demanded at the qualified swimmers looking at them with all his attention.

The swim team members were tense, and so the captain was, he wanted everyone to work as hard as he did, even when the circumstances were different.

He was tired, and after a  yawn he couldn’t  fight it anymore, he had a seat.

“You have to stop it, Rin.” Sousuke said  next to him, obviously he was worried. “Go to sleep.”

“I can’t.” Rin laughed, the situation wasn’t really the best one to be laughing at, yet he did. “I’ve tried to  but... It seems like I just forgot how to sleep. When all the other are just stirring to wake I’ trying to trick myself to fall asleep again.”

The taller sighed. Rin only smiled, trying to make concern in Sousuke’s face to fade, but that wouldn’t happen.

“Senpai!” The noisy otter boy interrupted the tension, walking carelessly to where the captain and Sousuke were. “What are we supposed to do now? Do you need help?”

Rin stood up thankful of Momo’s energetic attitude. He ruffled the orange wet hair of the younger’s head.

“I have a new program for the relay, go f or it.”

“In yo ur bag?”

Rin nodded.

“Yeeeih!” Momo disappeared, Nitori moved following him, leaving everything he was doing to stop Momo from ‘messing with senpai’s stuff’.

“You should  go and  make sure he couldn’t start to snoop in your stuff, don’t you think?” Sousuke’s voice of truth made him move, he was right.

Rin followed the path the younger ones took, willing to catch up with them, both of them messing things up  as a couple of raccoons, taking everything and fighting to see whatever they pulled out first. And so, they found something they weren’t supposed to.

They took out a bunch of paper sheets, Momo took one half and Nitori the other, almost racing to find the program they were looking for.

“I got it!” Momo claimed victory, cheerfully rising his ar m with the sheet on the air.

“This is...” Nitori said almost at the same time, his tone was  the complete opposite to Momo’s, and Rin could knew why. He felt his blood fell to his heels.  _No_. “Sign for Cultural Festival activities...”

Rin extended his hand and ordered Nitori with just one look to give it  back.

“Senpai... Why hadn’t you gave that to the president yet?”

“I have no time.”

“But, senpai, we should be preparing for that day.”

“I know.”  _Of course he knew._

“You hadn’t even taken new  measures and— “

 “Like hell I would!” Rin yelled, mad at the mere hint of the ‘m’ cafe thing.

Nitori jolted, Momo stopped his victory  dance and the club grew silent. All the looks on the captain. _Fuck_.

He turned to see Sousuke, he had that ‘I told you so’ look, his arms crossed and waiting for Rin to do whatever he had to do.

“Everyone out of the pool. I need to talk to you.” He ordered  before disappearing on his way to the locker room.

All the club members were anxious, expectation grew  with  every second Rin took to think. But then, it happened. 

The door clicked open and Rin walked in again, but not like before. There was something with him that got everyone stunned and no one could tell what it was, not even Sousuke. Rin got everyone mesmerized from the moment he opened the door. Each step he took made the cardiac pulse to beat louder, even the slightest gesture of his hands as he moved through them was some kind of dynamite for them.

Since when captain Matsuoka was _so_  good looking?

“I hadn’t signed anything for the Cultural Festival yet.” He announced. And there was something on his voice that made impossible for the swimmers to ask a thing. “Festival is still some months away, for now I want you to stay focused on the competition and nothing else. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of the club’s activity.”

“Rin.”  Sousuke called him, he was still owner of his thoughts and could speak  properly. “Tell them.”

“Tell us what?” Momo asked Nitori, loud enough to be heard by everyone else.

“I will change this year’s activity.” He said it,  _finally_.  “In fact, I already did.”

“Senpai, that means we won’t have a cafe this year?” Nitori asked. “It’s a tradition.”

All the club members  started to speak, discussing about it. It was strange, but it was a tradition. Yet, it was nonsense to be doing that. But the club’s fame... Rin’s patience was slowly fading away as the crowd’s voice rose. Once it reached hits limit, he couldn’t keep calm anymore.

“Masturbation material.” His voice spelled out, perfectly clear and loud enough to have everyone’s attention back. 

They kept quiet, shocked.

“Masturbation material.”  He repeated with incredible seriousness on  his tone. “That’s how this club it’s seen by everyone else. We’re just relief, the closest thing to a feminine  thing they can have in an all-boys school. We’re something they can think on when they jerk off the Festival’s night.” He recalled Itoshiki’s words, Moriyama’s and even  the experience of last year’s Festival.

God, he  might need therapy after all.

“Is it that what you want to be?” He asked to the quiet audience. “Is that how you want to be remembered? ‘Cause I don’t.”

“But it’s a tradition...” Someone muttered.

“’Cmoon!” I don’t think anyone here  really wants to wear a stupid dress!”

Rin’s serious expression forced them to keep  quiet, and also the truth on what he was saying, no one wanted that.

“Things will change” Rin took the Sing for the Festival to show it to them.  “I want  to change it  and... I’ve been working on something to do it. I haven’t sign this yet ‘cause...  I wanted to discuss it with you.”

“What are we going to do, captain?”

“We’ll work with the music club. we’ ll have a concert.” He finally announced the reason for him losing sleep, hopefully with this he could relax a little. He thought so fast, it seemed, and the  noise started to rise again.

“We don’t know how to sing!”

“We can’t!”

“There’s  not enough time!” Everyone seemed to be so  nervous about  it.

“You  don’t have to do it. Nothing of that.” Rin claimed  them again, gaining some order at least for a  while. “I will.”

“But, what about the masturbation material thing?”

“Better one than the hole team.” He cleared, and he knew very well  that would be what Itoshiki meant from the very beginning. He would replace the relief the hole team provided. Him and him alone... “Besides, it’s my last year here. I just couldn’t leave you with that stupid maid cafe thing. This team I’m so proud of won’t be an object like that.”

The  hole club was  motivated to help Rin, as he thought, no one wanted to have a cafe again. What a good team he had. They agreed to help with anything, to adapt the pool’s area and even act as security if needed. They would help with anything Rin’s plan would require.

 

Once the club’s meeting was over, and so the  practice with Itoshiki and Moriyama as well and Rin finally returned to his room, he felt unbreakable. 

He faced the dress with courage. _I’m gonna leave you. I’m gonna teach you..._ War was settled, and he was  going for the win.  He would never hear again of Samezuka’s maid cafe of hell, never again.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter's up!!! This is was, and also it's about to get a war of ships since I've been only focusing on RinvsDress, I also want to give you some romance to thing ♥ It took a long and I know, I'm sorry for making you wait. Let me know how this is going, thanks for feed back, I'd really appreciate it, any comment you have it's welcome!


	7. Sophomore slump or comeback of the year

The last thing he pictured himself doing when he was young was singing. In fact, he never thought of him away from water, not even when he finally gave up and quit it. He liked music, music as a huge part in life when people grow, and growing alone in a foreign country was incredibly hard. And when you're growing like that, you need everything to get the language perfectly stuck inside your head, and so, music helps. 

Music was there, just like it is with everyone, and he did sang some times, but just for himself. Alone, and to practice and notice how it feels to say each word. And so he felt, because music does that, gets inside someone and clicks with their feelings...

Rin wanted to swim. And then, in order to do it peacefully, he's singing.

He's singing again in the middle of the dark empty auditorium, with only a few ones hearing him, as judges. The seemed pleased with how he's doing it that day, they nod and no interruption came this time. Rin was doing it, giving his everything to this like he does with everything, and it was working.

Moriyama, the newest member of the Festival Project seemed to be pleased, moving on his seat and whispering occasionally somethings to Itoshiki's ear, who hadn't gave any complain about Rin's voice either, but about the musicians behind him. Still, no one interrupts him.

It  _is_  working.

It had passed a couple of days since he first stepped there, time enough for his tutors to decide it's time for the band and him to perform somewhere else, to have public besides Itoshiki himself and Sousuke. Moriyama had dismissed his club mates too, leaving only the presidents with Rin and the club members on stage.

Sousuke didn't came, since someone should be taking care of the swim team too now that Rin's there saving them from the horrible cafe. And he was still a bit worried about Rin's lack of sleep and overdose of work. 

"I'm ok" He said trying his best to fight a yawn back. "I'm all right."

_Cause I'll keep singing this lie if you'll keep believing it_

 

 And it is a lie. It had been a lie from the last three weeks. But Moriyama's lessons soon will be useful to cover it up and no one will be able to tell how bad he'd feel. 

The band and him played again, a different song after finding the audience completely quiet. They didn't tell them to, but the silence was unbearable and Rin pushed them to try with another song.

"I get it. I want you. Now  _run_  from me!" Moriyama finally said standing up. By run he meant  _move_ , Rin has to move more on stage and they already discussed it ten minutes before he got there to sing, while the others were fixing their instruments and Itoshiki was helping all them to tune and get their proper space.

He stood before the first line of seats, looking at Rin. "Flirt with me!" He ordered. His words were strong, just like every movement he did. Moriyama Shunsuke was in fact a pain in the ass. He was just as annoying as Nagisa and a complete direct dork like Haru… It was hard to stand it, but he had to. He pushed him like no one, he thought Itoshiki was strict but Moriyama could double it…easily!  _And in just one day_!

Rin moved like he taught him before, and how he knew by himself too. Flirting was difficult but he was aware of his own good looks and it made it easier, even when he was focusing on that guy in front of him. That GUY.

The other nodded, pleased with what he's seeing. But not enough to stop his  _encouragement_. 

"Now run! Otherwise I'll get you, Matsuoka, and then I'll make you mine. Run!" He said, directing him getting closer and following his moves. Rin, in response, had to change his way, avoid it, give his back and stood somewhere else to keep on teasing him. It was quite something to see, Rin was finally using all the stage broads. 

He was a bit scared with all this, being shout those kind of... _sexual_  things wasn't something he was used. Was this really how being _quite popular_  felt? But Shunsuke was right, he needed to keep all the looks on him and made them forget about the black puffy dresses and stoking folded legs. Tempt them with what he was right then.

Moriyama moved back to his seat beside Itoshiki, leaving Rin doing what he's supposed to and getting a better look from the distance, since any show should be seen like that. It sounded good and looked good. But just  _good_  is never good enough for any of them.

"Hey, don't-!" Itoshiki stood up this time, storming to the stage right behind Rin. "Don't get distracted by him!" 

Moriyama brust to laugh. "I forgot they were there having the best view of Rin's ass-ets!" 

Rin stopped too, frustrated with Moriyama's deadly bluntness. He sighed in order to keep calm. 

"You're the only ones who should stop thinking on him." The music club president scolded them, and he thought it would be better to be there directing them instead of just letting them get moved by Rin.

 

After a couple of songs more, this time with the musicians completely focused on their director instead of in Rin's comes and goes, everyone was dismissed and only Itoshiki and Moriyama were discussing a few more things with Rin. Things that were necessary in order to get the project steady and going, seriously going.

"People need to know what were doing so they want to come," Moriyama said, using 'us' for the first time in two days, incredible how fast he could trust both of them to work like this. 

 "Hum... I thought the Festival itself would give us enough promotion." Rin whispered, still a bit unsure of letting everyone to let what he's doing. Specially with the tournaments ahead.

"The Student Council doesn't even know what your clubs are planing" He said, pointing accusative to Rin and Itoshiki faces. "Have you signed? ?Cause as far as I and the Council knows, you're working on the maid cafe and you probably still fighting with me to get the auditorium for your piano concert or whatever." 

Rin and Itoshiki exchanged glances, he had a point. Rin stood up and took out from his school bag the Festival Project sheet, Itoshiki did exactly the same and then they moved back to their seats, getting into a huge discussion of how to sign it, what should they write and that kind of things.

"Ok, ok!" Moriyama said, apparently hating to be tossed aside from the spotlight of their attention. "Leave promotion to me! Go and discuss this directly with the Council, that would be more helpful."

And so, they were pushed out of the auditorium, leaving Moriyama making his mind run to some sort of magical solution to promote the event. This made Rin to wonder if he'd already made something for his own club instead of worrying about them. 

 

It sounded like the best plan ever, and, to be honest, he was a bit embarrassed of not thinking it himself before. It was just as simple as it sounded. The only thing they had to do was to sign the sheets together and lend them to the Council members to approve it, not a big deal. 

But then there was the issue, they weren't just covering an absence to class or to any club activity, they weren't asking for more chronometers like he did usually, they weren't just passing a message. This was a statement of war, not only to the dress anymore, in Rin's case, but the formal revelation of his true intentions to go over school's traditions. And if Itoshiki and Moriyama were right with how much the cafe meant to the students, there was no way in hell this could be as easy as just signing. 

If he had to hear the 'm' word, or worst,  _say it_ , He would lose it... completely. 

 

 Just as Rin thought when the idea of throwing away the traditional club activity came to his mind, the council members seemed pretty troubled with not having any maid around this year. The insisted on how necessary it was, and how bad they'd miss it, they even chose to play all the dirty cards they could pull to make Rin and Kamijou to stop their plan. 

"The maid cafe already has fame, it will make for sure lots of people to go and the club will get an incredible amount of founds, Matsuoka, isn't that what this Festival is meant to get?" 

"I don't care. I already signed this." Rin insisted with the sheet on the president's desk, he was reluctant to accept it and didn't even gave a look at it. And after three times handing it to be rejected, he wasn't up to any manner right then. "And so Itohiski."

"A joint activity of these clubs... They're not even related..."

"We don't care."

"It's not Council business if we're prepared or not, you didn't seemed to care when all those dresses were purchased." 

The president kept quiet. Sweating. Rin was disturbed by it, not even the President was discrete enough to hide how much everyone was so nervous of losing their relief night...

_That was it!_

Rin changed his method, and after less than a second Itoshiki knew what he was doing. If it worked with the swim team, the musicians and Moriyama, it would have the same effect in the president and the Council members. He shuffled on his seat and lightly tilted his head opening his mouth but not to insist again, but to  _persuade_  them.

Judging by the kind of looks he was feeling on his back from the moment they stepped inside, there was no way this wouldn't work. It was a shame his artistic-coaches were right, he did was  _very_  popular. 

"Look, President, I know it's hard to give up on traditions but... Swim team has already enough attention from all the good results we get year by year. I think, this is an opportunity for clubs like Music club, they don't even have a proper place to practice." Rin modulated his voice to get where he wanted, making the tension fade and the fear of losing the charming parade of maids to fade, since they had already quite a good look on him. It was terrifying how well it seemed to go.

 "The only thing I'm asking you to do is to give us the same support you gave last year and the ones before. Nothing more."

"Matsuoka, swim team has scheduled competition, don't you?"

"That's right. Just like every year. Don't worry, President, we can do it."

"We're coordinating our schedules to make the even for the Festival." Itoshiki pointed.

"But... Thinking on something different is for sure lots of trouble and... You and your team have to be focused in the tournament."

"We're already handling that." Rin and Itoshiki agreed.

Rin stood up and leaned forward to the President's chair, his hands over the desk and upon paper piles, moving slowly to keep him interested on every single inch he got closer. Rin's eyes fixed on his, bright red insisting. "Just approve it. We'll keep going anyway. That could put lots of stress away from me and the team too." 

The room grew silent. It was impressive how even when his words weren't different and in fact just as hostile as his desperation made him think them, his tone and body language were making the hole thing just...  _undeniable_. Rin didn't move, trying to get into the other's mind and convince him to go with it. 

"Matsuoka, what you're asking... Are you even up to check on it?"

"I'll make everything work, with my own hands. I would personally  _burn this city down to show you the light_." 

The president laughed at Rin's last statement, a flirty laugh before finally taking the sheets from his desk and placing the inside the Festival's folder with the other projects. "Thank God you're working on it! I'm looking forward to what both of you're doing!"

The left the room satisfied with what the got, yet Rin was a bit nervous of what happened for them to get his concert authorized. He never imagined himself doing  _that_  kind of thing to get what he wanted, it was not his style before... Moriyama was the only one to blame for this! He had to thank him... later.

The hardest part was over now. They had permission to go on with the concert. They had no scenery, no vest, not a list of songs, but the project was a fact now. 

 

 

"Hey!" Sousuke welcomed him once he was finally, _finally_  back at their dorm. Rin only moved his head to let him knew he heard him, his head ached a bit and his voice wan't specially up to talk right then. Not after extra hours with Itoshiki jogging.

"You left earlier."

"...."

"I saw your timing. You're slowing down."

"'M not... I just... I had no time today to improve it, tomorrow..." 

"Rin..."

"I said tomorrow," Rins sighed. "I _need_  longer days... and longer nights. Tired!"

He dropped himself in bed, making it grind before letting go of his breath heavily, so tired of this day. His eyes rolled at the door, staring at the dress, it had been there more than he liked it. How long? three days? A week? It was more than enough, he hated it! If anyone had thought on saying _**NO**_ to that freaking dress he wouldn't be doing this! That dress was hateful! absolutely a sign from hell! It brought nothing but trouble, made him feel pathetic last year and this time...! It had even been discovered by Haru...  _Haru_.

What if singing to swim was messing up with his actual swimming routine? What would he do if he wasn't able to catch up with him at the next stage of tournament because of his new fucked up schedule? Awful.

He wanted to swim, not to sing and even so... He was doing it, and not even an hour ago he was giving his best to catch a note, not to reinstate his swimming plan. Was he confident of it? Not enough...

He felt guilty. Swimming was all he wanted, yet he couldn't stop his head fro repeating the lyrics and the beat inside his mind, thrilling him and making him mutter the next line. 

_Ashamed of the way_

_The songs and the words own the beating of our hearts_

He rolled over, groaning before curling himself to his pillow. He didn't even mind of turning the lights out, but Sousuke did. Rin pretended to be asleep when he felt the bed moving again and the solid click of the lights switch made the room cooler, the faster he could convince himself to sleep, the sooner it would happen. 

"You're good," Sousuke called beside him, sitting on Rin's bunk. "I never imagined you could... sing like that."

Rin moved to face him, not letting go of his pathetic excuse of pillow. He didn't say a word.

"A maid cafe is worthy of this much?" Sousuke asked, notoriously worried.

"It is..."

"You're losing sleep, your time and energy, Rin. Such a rebel you are."

"I'm not! I'm saving them!"

"Oh, excuse me! Then, you're a hero?" Sousuke teased him. Rin frowned and kicked his thigh. "The tournament..."

"I can handle it." 

_I'll keep singing this lie_

__I'll keep singing this lie_ _

 "I just think you shouldn't push yourself like this," Sousuke said before getting up. "Try to get more rest."

"I'll skip something tomorrow..." Rin muttered turning again, showing his back to the taller. "I want to swim." 

Sousuke didn't said a thing, he just climbed up to his bed leaving him alone and giving him some rest. Falling asleep wasn't so hard that night, he was more than tired and his pillow and bed were simply welcoming to his exhausted body. It was hard to tell if he wasn't already talking on his sleep before...

 

He left the classroom straight to the pool once school was over, he didn't wanted to lose any second he could use swimming, and he was also planing on hide from the other club presidents' sight. The team was glad of having him back, not that he was skipping but he was not entirely with them. 

Just as he said before, his time got better, he just needed to swim and he would automatically be the same. It was quite amusing for the team members to see him now that they knew what he was going through. Just making the captain title to be far more respectful, if someone could be doing all those things together, it was for sure a signal of excellence. Or madness.

But he couldn't keep his mind completely away from it...

The spotlight wasn't different form the pool's marks right after all, right? What if the only thing he wanted, he longed, was attention. No! Not like _that_ but... **fame**. To be someone, remembered. It required almost the same amount of work and effort, and he seemed to be good in both of this things. Sousuke said it, and not even because they were friends but it really seemed true. And so Itoshiki, and Moriyama as well. Could it be possible to have both, from now on? He really needed to get inside the pool again, his mind was playing tricks on him.

Dreams of light, adrenaline and his breath lost. Swimming and singing could make him feel like that perfectly well...

"Senpai, Moriyama-senpai is here!" Nitori called once Rin was back on the near side wall, taking his serenity away with his words.


End file.
